First Meeting
by Red Blaze 16
Summary: "It's more than that, KF," replies Robin quietly. "Did I ever tell you about the first time I met Joker?" - Prequel to "Rescue" and "Questions Over Cookies", but can stand alone. One shot. Please R&R.


_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Technically, this is a prequel to "Rescue" and "Questions Over Cookies" - my two Young Justice stories. That being said, this story can stand alone. Part of the story takes place roughly a few months before "Independence Day" and part of it takes place about two years before "Independence Day"...**_

Disclaimer: Don't own YJ

First Meeting

By Red Blaze 16

Gotham was a cold, wet city. Rained most of the year, except when it was too cold for rain. Then it was snow. Sunny days were few and typically only in the summer. Those who lived in the city knew to get outside whenever the sky was blue and the sun shown down. But, in the middle of April, sun and blue skies weren't likely. Especially at night.

Perching on the roof's edge, the city's junior defender keeps a watchful eye on the city. The rustling of paper bags draws his attention and he watches as a older, gray haired woman, bent with age, slowly walk through the alley. Robin had been working with Batman for nearly four years. Sometimes the older hero would trust Robin on his own, providing that the teenaged hero would contact Batman immediately if Robin needed help. But help wasn't needed tonight. Just an older woman, minding her own business, trying to get home at the end of the day.

"DUDE?!"

With a sigh, Robin turns to look at Kid Flash. Dressed in a yellow and red costume, the teenaged speedster stood out in the gray city. Then again, when you're one of the fastest people on the planet, you don't need to worry about stealth. Though the red head was two years older than Robin, the dark haired hero sometimes felt older than the other boy. Spending time with Kid Flash reminded Robin that he was still a kid.

"Hello? I've been trying to get a hold of you ALL DAY!" exclaims the red and yellow speedster.

"And it looks like you found me," replies Robin, with a grin, before turning his attention back to the older woman down below.

Humphing, the older boy meanders over to the younger boy and sits down next to him. Swinging his legs over the roof's edge, the speedster is barely quiet a second before trying to engage the other boy in conversation.

"Soooooo, my uncle told me something..." says Kid Flash, barely able to contain his excitement.

"I'm sure your uncle tells you a lot of things," says Robin, pretending to barely pay attention.

"About us seeing the Hall of Justice..." continues Kid Flash.

"Last time I checked, any tourist can check out the Hall of Justice," replies the dark haired boy, as he watches the older woman leave the alley.

"DUDE! Pay attention!" says Kid Flash, bouncing on the roof's edge.

Laughing the younger boy grins at his best friend. "I know. Batman told me about it earlier."

"You...were messing with me?!" says Kid Flash, jumping up. "That's not cool, Rob."

"Chill, KF," replies the younger boy, still grinning.

With a sigh, Kid Flash returns to sitting on the edge of the roof.

"All Batman said, for now, is that it will take place sometime this summer," says Robin, scanning the alleyway again.

"Yeah, that's what Uncle Barry said too," replies Kid Flash.

Shaking his head at his friend's faux pas, Robin sometimes wondered how Kid Flash's secret identity could still be a secret with how often the red head would use real names while in costume. It was due to this reason that Robin understood why Batman was a little concerned that Kid Flash knew Robin's secret identity. But the younger hero also knew his best friend would never tell anyone who was under the mask, even by accident.

"Roy thinks they're messing with us," says the speedster, drawing Robin back into the conversation.

"What do you mean?" asks Robin, scanning the alley once more.

"He thinks they're going to change their minds or something," replies Kid Flash, with a shrug. Stopping, the red head turns to Robin. "Do you think they would?"

"Kaldur say anything?" asks Robin, not answering the question. The younger sidekick knew that, if the adults did decide to change their minds, the teenaged heroes couldn't do anything about it.

"Not much," replies the red head, turning his gaze to the dark city his friend protected.

For a moment, there is silence between the two heroes. But, for only a moment, before Kid Flash starts talking again.

"So, why are you just sitting on the edge of a roof?"

"Ummm, waiting for you?" replies Robin, with a quick grin.

"You're funny," replies the red head. "Seriously, why?"

"Joker broke out of Arkham," replies the younger boy.

"And..." says Kid Flash.

"Batman is handling it," replies Robin.

"And..." says Kid Flash.

"And my job is to keep an eye out for petty crime," finishes Robin.

"Huh," replies the red head. "What's the big deal with Joker anyway?"

For a moment, Robin is 11 years old again and in a dark room, hearing the laugh of an insane man.

"I mean, I get it. He's crazier than a shit house rat," continues Kid Flash, not knowing his friend is caught up in a memory.

"It's more than that, KF," replies Robin quietly. For a moment, the younger hero debates whether to tell his best friend the story about the first time he had met the Clown Prince of Crime. Coming to a quick decision, Robin glances over at his friend. "Did I ever tell you about the first time I met Joker?"

"Nope," replies the red head, shaking his head.

"I had been Robin for two years..."

…...

**TWO YEARS AGO...**

Even though it was early October, the air was biting cold and wet, gray flakes of snow were falling from the sky. It was a night that made Robin really glad that he wore pants, instead of the shorts that were originally suggested when Alfred and Batman was discussing what the Robin costume should look like.

Robin and Batman were on a stake out at the Gotham Museum of Art. While dealing with some muggers earlier that night, Batman overheard one of them talking about a big heist at the museum. Deciding to take a look for himself, Batman along with Robin went to the museum. Though they had already been waiting for an hour, Batman decided to give it more time. A few minutes later, Robin saw moment near the museum.

"Batman," said Robin, pointing toward an alleyway, running down the right side of the museum. Shadows could be seen also moving down that alley.

Nodding his head, Batman said nothing as he raised his grappling gun toward a nearby tower. Firing it, the claw hooked the tower and Batman swung off the building's roof. Following his partner, Robin also fired his grappling gun and joined Batman on the museum roof.

Quickly, the Dynamic Duo stood by the skylight and looked down into the museum. A moment later, the shadows that were moving around became men when the lights were turned on. Through the window, the heroes could see the thieves jerk paintings from walls and put into the center of the room. Deciding he had waited long enough, Batman jumped through the skylight.

Shards of glass fell around the heroes as they landed in the room. Capes thrown back, Batman and Robin moved into action. Batman quickly took down two men who were bringing over another painting to the pile nearby. Robin flipped out of a batarang and threw it at the nearby man, who had just put down a small vase. Turning to take out another thief, Robin noted a stocky man, dressed in dark pants and jacket, running from the room.

"Batman," said Robin, pointing toward the departing figure.

"Go," said Batman, before turning to take down another thief.

Without another word, Robin ran after the fleeing man. Quickly, Robin left the room that Batman was in behind and entered the second room. The young hero could see the fleeing man run into a third room. Knowing he wouldn't be able to catch him, Robin removed a batarang from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, the batarang went flying. Across the room and through the open doorway, the batarang struck the fleeing man. Hit between the shoulders, the man fell to the ground hard and struck his face against a pedestal in the room.

Rushing through the last door, Robin removed the plastic zip ties from his belt to bind the guy's hands behind his back, while the thief was still disoriented. With the ties pulled tight, Robin took out another one and restrained the guy's ankles.

"That should hold you," said Robin.

Quickly, Robin scanned the room for anyone else. A dark room, where the only light was coming in from the doorway the young hero had ran through, Robin could see multiple pedestals with glass cases on top. Upon closer view, Robin could see small items inside the cases. Vases, jewelry from centuries ago, and old ladies gloves seemed to fill the glass cases.

Checking the man on the ground one more time, the young hero was surprised when the door he ran through slammed shut. Before, when the door was open, Robin could make out the items in the room and the white pedestals, with glass cases, that held those items. With the door shut, the room was nearly pitch black.

…...

"So, why didn't you switch on your night vision...stuff?" demands Kid Flash, waving a hand at his friend.

"It was because of this...incident that Batman installed the night vision into my mask," answers Robin, before continuing with the story.

…...

Hands out in front of him, Robin could feel a pedestal to his left. Relying on memory, Robin tried to figure out the quickest way out of the room, but stopped cold when he heard a sound that he had only ever heard as a recording on the Batcomputer. A laugh. A crazy laugh.

"Oh goodie! He finally let you come out to play. I was wondering when I'd get to meet you." The voice echoed around the room, but Robin knew who it was. Joker. Robin had never met the Clown Prince of Crime before this night. Batman had wanted to delay that meeting as much as possible, but there wasn't any delaying it now. Robin could hear the excitement in the villain's voice, like a child on Christmas morning. A very deranged and creepy child. "Bat keeps you hidden."

Taking a deep breath, Robin quickly figured out that the voice was coming from near the door.

"I asked about you. Every time I saw Bats, I asked about you, but Daddy Bats doesn't talk much about his little bird."

Shifting his weight, Robin placed the pedestal against his back. Going over, in his mind, what the room looked like when he came in, Robin knew he was more than half way into the room. Since Joker's voice was near the door, Robin also knew he would have to get closer to the criminal to escape the room.

"We will have so much fun together." Another crazy laugh.

Robin attempted to track the voice, but found that it wasn't moving. The voice was staying near the door. _He must know that the only way in or out is that door_, thought Robin.

"Do you like games?"

"Not the kind you're thinking of," said Robin and then immediately regretted speaking. Just like Robin was tracking Joker by his voice, the insane clown could track Robin by the hero's voice.

"Let's play tag?" suggested the Joker. "If I catch you..." Another dark laugh.

Robin didn't respond to the criminal this time. _Joker will use the sound of my voice to find me_, thought Robin. _I can't respond to anything he says. I have to get out of here, but carefully. If I knock into anything, I will give away my position._

"I like singing," said Joker. "That's what we'll do if I catch you."

Now that Robin had been minutes in the dark room, the young hero realized that the room wasn't as dark as he originally thought. Small amount of light were coming in from around the door and through the windows. _My eyes are adjusting._ _I should be able to see well enough to get out_, thought Robin.

"Screaming, begging, even crying is music to my ears," Joker proclaimed loudly.

A chill ran down Robin's spine. With those words, Robin also realized if his sight was getting better, so would Joker's. Which meant, if Robin could see the shape of the pedestals and the other objects in the room, so could the criminal. And even though Robin didn't see Joker, it didn't mean Joker didn't see him.

"Will you sing for me, little bird?" asked the Joker. As loud as the villain's voice had been a moment earlier, it was now quiet. Almost a whisper.

Robin knew he had to get out of that room. The only way out was to risk Joker spotting him by running for the door. But before he could move, the door was thrown open. Batman, shadowed by the light coming in from behind Gotham's Dark Knight, stepped into the room and raised a hand.

"Robin!"

Quickly, the batarang was thrown. For a moment, the batarang appeared to come at Robin before it flew over the boy's head. Robin spun around to find that Joker was standing behind him, just to the right of the pedestal that Robin had placed against his back. The batarang lodged into the criminal's wrist, which forced the madman to drop the large knife he had held.

Batman ran into the room and jumped the Joker, bringing the insane clown to the ground. Robin could only stare at the large knife, shining silver in the light which came from the other room. The jagged blade caught the light and reflected it back at the young hero.

…...

"Joker had been out for hours before Arkham realized he had escaped," ends Robin. "In fact, Commissioner Gordan was getting off the phone with Arkham when Batman signaled the police for pick up."

For a moment, the speedster can say nothing, as he processes what his best friend told him. Kid Flash had always assumed the Joker was just a criminal. Crazy? Yes. But just a man. The older boy realized Joker was more than just a crazy criminal.

"The voice?" asks the teenaged speedster, subdued for the moment. "How was he throwing his voice like that?"

"He wasn't," replies Robin, staring down into the alleyway below. "Joker had recorded his voice. In fact, one of the henchmen had started the recording before slamming the door closed. Joker had been in the room from the beginning, probably hiding behind one of the pedestals."

"But how did he know you'd be there?" asks the red head. _Joker was standing behind Rob, in the dark, with a knife! _thinks Kid Flash. _What if Batman hadn't showed up? Or hadn't showed up in time?_

"Joker's normal M.O. is to break out, causing as much chaos as he can than quieting down for a few days so he can build up to an even bigger event," explains Robin, looking at his friend. "Instead he broke out quietly, drawing as little attention as possible."

"Why change his M.O.?" asks Kid Flash, though the hero thought he knew why and it made him sick.

"Joker wanted to meet me," replies the younger hero, glancing away. "By breaking out quietly, it increased the chance that Batman wouldn't know Joker was out and therefore pull me from the streets."

"Rob..." says Kid Flash, not sure what to say.

"You're right, KF," says Robin, glancing at his best friend. "He's crazy, but he's also smart."

Even though Kid Flash was Robin's best friend, the younger boy couldn't admit to the red head about the nightmares that had plagued him for weeks after that first meeting. Hearing Joker's voice in the dark, unable to know where the madman was. In the nightmares, Batman never showed up. Batman never stopped Joker.

For a moment, neither boy says a word. The moment is shared, quietly, between the two heroes. Not an uncomfortable silence, but a silence that doesn't need words. Then the silence ends. Hearing a chirp through the earpiece in his right ear, Robin raised his right hand to his ear before nodding his head. "Batman caught the Joker."

"Good to know," mumbles the older boy.

"And I have to head home," says Robin, standing up from the roof's edge and reaching for his grappling gun. "It's a school night."

"Rob?" asks Kid Flash.

"Yeah?" replies the dark haired boy, glancing at his best friend.

"Does Batman make you sit out all Joker situations?" asks the older boy.

"No," replies Robin, with a sigh.

"Does he tell you why you have to sit out some and not others?" asks Kid Flash.

Without saying a word, Robin turns around and looks at his best friend. Even though Kid Flash can't see the blue eyes or the expression in them, he realized the stupidity of his question.

"Right. He's Batman," says the older boy. "He doesn't explain anything."

"Yup," responds the dark haired hero. "I will see you later, KF."

"Laters," replies the red headed hero.

Watching as Robin fires the grappling line and, as the younger boy swings away, Kid Flash stays a moment longer on the roof top. He can almost hear Robin's voice, telling him again about Joker's idea of music and the red headed boy shudders.

THE END

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you liked the story. Whenever I read or write about Joker's laugh in a story, I can't help but "hear" Mark Hamill from Batman, the Animated Series. I know Brent Spiner does the voice in Young Justice, but, to me, Hamill does a better job. And for those who know me, it's not a Star Wars over Star Trek kind of thing. ;)**_


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